LIVE Greater Manchester snow and traffic updates: severe M62 delays and multiple crashes reported in 'awful blizzard conditions'

Multiple crashes were reported in Greater Manchester late last night (Thursday, February 9) - with 'severe' dealys on the M62 - as heavy snow continued to create 'awful blizzard conditions' on the region's roads.

Yellow Met Office weather warnings for snow and ice remain in place today (Friday) and over the weekend - with an 'Amber' warning in place for parts of Greater Manchester until midday. And a 'yellow' warnig forwind was issued shortly after midnight and remains in place until 5am.

At 11.37pm on Thursday night, Twitter traffic monitor @manctraffic said: "Multiple crashes reported in the last 90 mins on the A669 Oldham Rd at Platting Rd, Lydgate. Conditions are AWFUL throughout the Oldham and Saddleworth areas. ALSO... A670 Mossley Rd also crawling in the area of the Hartshead Inn, Mossley both ways due to blizzards."

And severe delays are being reported on the M62. National Highways said: "There are severe delays on the M62 eastbound between Junction 20 (Rochdale) and Junction 22 (Saddleworth) due to heavy snow in the area. Lanes 3 and 4 have been closed so that traffic keeps in lanes 1 and 2.

"There is also a lane 3 (of 3) closure on the M62 westbound for the same reason. There is currently over an hour delay on the approach to the eastbound closures."

In an alert issued shortly after midnight, the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for wind that remains in place until 5am. The weather forecaster said: "Strong easterly winds have developed over the western Pennines and are expected to continue for several hours until easing towards dawn on Friday. Gusts of 50 to 60 mph are possible in places. This will lead to particularly poor travelling conditions where snow is falling."

A number of roads around